Indian CG Interview
Dr. Serina Ha: Can you say a few words to our audience of RTHK?
夏妙然博士：您有話想跟香港電台的觀眾說嗎？
Indian Consul General in Hong Kong, Mrs. Priyanka Chauhan: Thank you so much Serina. Thank you for having me on your programme. It is my great pleasure to be here and look forward to interacting with you and all the viewers of RTHK and the listeners on RTHK through you.
印度駐港總領事Mrs. Priyanka Chauhan：真的非常感謝Serina，謝謝讓我可以參與這個節目，我很高興來到這裡，並期待與您以及所有香港電台的觀眾和聽眾進行互動。
Dr. Serina Ha: Can you please introduce one or two significant culture of India to Hong Kong audience?
夏妙然博士：您能向香港觀眾介紹一種或兩種印度的重要文化嗎？
Indian Consul General in Hong Kong, Mrs. Priyanka Chauhan: Very difficult to answer because India is a very big and diverse country and sometimes it is difficult to pick anyone region or anyone particular culture, but all I will see is India culture of unity and diversity, the culture of having various types of people with different languages, food habits, religions, all come together and living harmoniously, that’s how to define India.
印度駐港總領事Mrs. Priyanka Chauhan：很難回答，因為印度是一個非常龐大和多元化的國家，有時很難挑選任何地區或任何特殊文化，但是我所看到的就是印度的統一和多樣性文化，即是接納各地人的不同類型文化、語言、飲食習慣及宗教，他們都聚在一起並和諧地生活，這就是對印度的定義。
Dr. Serina Ha: Can you tell us which special culture you like in Hong Kong?
夏妙然博士：您有喜歡的香港特色文化嗎？
Indian Consul General in Hong Kong, Mrs. Priyanka Chauhan: I am very new to Hong Kong. I have been only three months ago, but I must see my first impression in Hong Kong was that it was such a vibrant international city and the fact that it also celebrate pluralism and diversity like India does and so to me what I enjoy the most about Hong Kong is the fact that I can experience the food and culture and art of almost every countries in the world, right here in Hong Kong, so to me that is the first impression and the biggest appeal to them.
印度駐港總領事Mrs. Priyanka Chauhan：我三個月前才來到香港，所以對香港還是很陌生，但我對香港的第一印象是一個充滿活力的國際城市，而且它像印度一樣十分多元化和多樣化，因此我很高興可以來到這裡，體驗幾乎每個國家的美食、文化和藝術，這就是我對香港的第一印象，以及認為最大吸引力的地方。
Dr. Serina Ha: Do you ever try any special cuisine in Hong Kong or any special places or any things specially remember in Hong Kong?
夏妙然博士：您是否曾在香港或任何特別的地方嘗試過特別的美食，或者在香港特別想起某些東西？
Indian Consul General in Hong Kong, Mrs. Priyanka Chauhan: Not yet unfortunately because Hong Kong has kept me so busy in events and it is a city where almost 7 days a week. There is an interesting event that explains, we also be a busy meeting and community in Hong Kong which is very large and very vibrant, so this is the top of my agenda and I will look forward to recommendation from you on where I can go to enjoy the local Hong Kong cuisine.
印度駐港總領事Mrs. Priyanka Chauhan：不幸的是，由於我正在忙於香港的各種活動，而且這個城市每周有將近7天工作週，當中有不少重要的會議進行，而我是會議中的重要人物，所以我會期待著您的建議，享受香港的美食。
Dr. Serina Ha: The national flower of India is Lotus. Can you tell us your feeling of this national flower?
夏妙然博士：印度的國花是蓮花。您能告訴我們您對蓮花的感覺嗎？
Indian Consul General in Hong Kong, Mrs. Priyanka Chauhan: Sure, the national flower of India as you mentioned is Lotus, and to Indians, it has a very very auspicious meaning. It is very special because it is the seed of God Brahma which is Indian mythology, the Creator God. He is the one who creates the universe. Lotus is also the seed of Goddess Lakshmi which is the Goddess of Wealth, so it is you know the day you reach all businessmen, worship, so it is notice for the seed for both of them. The founder of Sikhism which is Guru Nanak Dev Ji, he had mentioned teaching something beautiful about the Lotus. He said try to be in the world like Lotus because it grows in the mud, but its flower and leaves do not become dirty, signifying that we should not let negativity affect us and be pure like the Lotus.
印度駐港總領事Mrs. Priyanka Chauhan：當然，您提到的印度國花是蓮花，對印度人來說，它具有非常吉祥的含義。蓮花是十分特別，因為它是印度神話中的創造者之神——梵天的種子，他創造了宇宙，而且蓮花是Lakshmi天神的種子，Lakshmi是財富天神，所以所有商人都會朝拜Lakshmi，祈求財富降臨。而錫克教的創立者Guru Nanak Dev Ji，他曾教導關於蓮花的知識，並說過：「嘗試像蓮花一樣生活在世界裡，因為它雖然生長在泥土中，但是它的花朵和葉子都不會變髒。」這表明我們不應該讓消極情緒影響我們，並且像蓮花一樣純淨。
Dr. Serina Ha: Can you teach us some simple Indian greetings?
夏妙然博士：您能教我們一些簡單的印度問候語嗎？
Indian Consul General in Hong Kong, Mrs. Priyanka Chauhan: The interesting thing is that both hello and goodbye are “namaste”, in more formal term is “namaskar”. Thank you is “dhanyawad”.
印度駐港總領事Mrs. Priyanka Chauhan：有趣的是，你好和再見都是“namaste”，更正式的說法是“namaskar”。謝謝是“ dhanyawad”。
Dr. Serina Ha: Can you teach us some popular slang nowadays in India?
夏妙然博士：您能教我們一些印度潮語嗎？
Indian Consul General in Hong Kong, Mrs. Priyanka Chauhan: Sure, so I thought of taking few slang from different parts of the country. There are something call “chakde”, which is the popular slang to cheer someone up or it is used sometimes in sports or it is said to somebody who is going for something tough like an exam, so it is like a rough English translation will be “do well” or “all the best” or “for energy”. For the rest part of the country, a lot of people say “barobar” that means “all well” or “I agree with you” and it can be said the end of almost anything when you are discussing and when two people are talking that means “yes, yes”. From the south, “adipoli” is similar to “chakde”, means “fantastic” or “good job”. From the east, “Bhalo” means “good”. All four expressions that I spoke about expressing positivity and encouraging sad people.
印度駐港總領事Mrs. Priyanka Chauhan：當然可以，接下來我會教一些來自印度不同的地方潮語。“Chakde”是一種流行的語，意思是「做得好」或「一切順利」或「給予正能量」，適用於為運動員打氣，或是要鼓勵面對艱難情況的人，例如考生們。而在印度的其他地區，很多人都會說“barobar”，意思是「一切都好」或「我同意你」，也可以說，當您與別人的對話結束時，會表示「對」的意思。印度的南部又有不同的潮語，“adipoli”與“chakde”的意思相似，都是「很棒」或「做得好」，而在印度的東部，“Bhalo”是「好」。以上所說的四個潮語，都是表達積極性和鼓勵悲傷的人。
Dr. Serina Ha: Finally, any special events you want to tell the audience lately?
夏妙然博士：最後，您想告訴觀眾印度最近特別的節日嗎？
Indian Consul General in Hong Kong, Mrs. Priyanka Chauhan: We are actually starting the festival season in India. Diwali is India’s biggest festival of lights and symbolizing the spiritual victory of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance. Before Diwali, we have three festivals which lead up to it. Navratri literally means ‘nine nights’. Throughout the nine days, people do fasting and there are traditional dances. Some Indian associations in Hong Kong also celebrate Navratri nights here. In the eastern part of India, Durga Puja is a ten-day festival, celebrating Goddess Durga’s victory over a powerful demon king. It is also called Dussehra, which literally means the tenth day of victory, a major festival celebrating the victory of Lord Rama over a demon king Ravana, in which effigies of Ravana are burnt to symbolise the eternal and inevitable victory of good over evil. In November, there is the Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev ji, the founder of the Sikhism. This year marks the 550th Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak Devji and throughout the country and across the globe, the historic occasion is being celebrated. We at the Consulate are also carrying out commemorative activities, in association with Khalsa Diwan, Hong Kong.
印度駐港總領事Mrs. Priyanka Chauhan：實際上，印度已經開始節日季。排燈節（Diwali）是印度最大的燈會，象徵著光明戰勝黑暗、善良戰勝邪惡和知識勝過愚昧，而在排燈節之前，我們會舉辦三個節日，第一個是九夜節（Navratri），它的字面意思是「九晚」，在整整九天的時間裡，人們禁食，以及表演傳統舞蹈，香港的印度協會也會在晚上慶祝九夜節。在印度東部，杜嘉菩薩節（Durga Puja）是一個十天的節日，慶祝天神杜嘉（Durga）擊敗強大的惡魔。九夜節（Navratri）和杜嘉菩薩節（Durga Puja）也被稱為十勝節（Dussehra），意味著勝利的第十天，是慶祝君主Rama擊敗惡魔國王Ravana的重要節日，其中燃燒Ravana的肖像象徵著邪惡是永恆不能得到勝利。在11月，有錫克教創立者Guru Nanak Dev Ji的誕辰紀念日，今年是他誕辰第550週年，在全國以至全球內，這是歷史性的慶祝時刻，我們領事館也與香港Khalsa Diwan合作，開展一系列的紀念活動。
Dr. Serina Ha: Are there any words to say to our audience through the programme?
夏妙然博士：有話要對我們的聽眾說嗎？
Indian Consul General in Hong Kong, Mrs. Priyanka Chauhan: Thank you very much for this opportunity and for being able to share culture of India and we welcome all listeners and everybody in RTHK to be a part of Indian celebration of various festivals and events throughout the year. The Consulate would love to able to share every aspects of our very vibrant democracy, the art, the culture, the music, the food, the dances. There are so much to share and learn about India and through your programme or other events if we able to reach out, these HongKongers a little more about India, I think it will be my job well-done.
印度駐港總領事Mrs. Priyanka Chauhan：真的非常感謝有這樣的機會分享印度的文化，我們歡迎香港電台的所有聽眾和所有人參與印度的各種慶祝節日和活動，亦希望能夠分享我們充滿活力的多樣化、藝術、文化、音樂、美食及舞蹈。如果我們能夠分享更多關於印度的信息，並且可以通過是次節目或其他活動來讓香港人了解印度，這讓我認為我的工作真的做得不錯呢！
